Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC; , shortened as AZƏRTAC) is the official news agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. From November 2022 Vugar Aliyev chairman of the board. Along with the official state news, Azerbaijan State News Agency releases information on politics, economy, education, science, culture, health, sports and environment in eight languages such as Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese. History AZERTAC was established on 1 March 1920. Throughout the Soviet period, the agency held various names and after restoration of Azerbaijani independence in 1991, the agency name was restored. From 1995 to 2000, the agency was named State Telegraph Agency under Cabinet of Ministers, then was renamed to Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency. On 26 February 2015 President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to rename Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency to the Azerbaijan State Information Agency (AZERTAC). International history AZERTAC became a member of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) in 2004. Agency is considered one of the founders of the Association of National Information Agencies of the countries participating in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Association of News Agencies of Turkish-speaking countries and the Association of National News Agencies of the countries participating in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. Since 2008, AZERTAC is a member of the Asian consortium of news agencies, Asia Pulse. During the years of 2010–2013 the agency chaired in Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. At the 15th General Assembly of the OANA, held in Moscow in September 2013 AZERTAC was elected vice-president of the organization. At the same meeting in a secret ballot between member agencies Azerbaijan State News Agency received the right to chair the OANA in 2016–2019. On 20 November 2013 at the 4th World Congress of News Agencies (NAWC), held in the capital city of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh by participation of more than seventy media structures of the world, leaders of news alliances OANA, EANA, FANA, IINA, media structures such as Sky News Arabia, Los Angeles Times, Guardian, BBC and Internet corporations like MSN, Google, Yahoo AZERTAC was elected chairman for 2016–2019. At the same time, it was decided to hold the 5th World Congress of News Agencies in Azerbaijan. At one of the Baku meetings the posts of the chairman and deputy chairman of the News Agencies of World Council were established for the first time. On 16–17 November 2016 the 5th World Congress of